Russia has urged foreign diplomats to leave Kyiv, vowing large-scale retaliatory strikes
following recent Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy infrastructure. The warning comes as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited the capital on October 4, announcing a new military aid package worth nearly $1.5 billion to bolster Ukraine’s defenses.
Russia’s Warning to Foreign Missions
The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a formal notice on October 3, advising diplomatic staff and foreign nationals to evacuate Kyiv. Moscow justified the threat as a response to what it labeled terrorist acts against the civilian population and civilian infrastructure
of Russia. The ministry stated that those remaining in the city were knowingly exposing themselves to mortal danger
and that responsibility for any consequences would rest with those who ignored the warning. This warning echoed a similar note sent by the Russian side five months prior to all accredited diplomatic missions, including the Latvian embassy.
Despite these threats, European Union embassies remain operational. Katarína Mathernová, the EU Ambassador to Ukraine, confirmed that all 25 EU member states with diplomatic missions in Kyiv intend to stay. Russia has made such threats several times already, and in my opinion, this is a sign of frustration that they are failing to gain an advantage on the battlefield,
Mathernová said in comments reported by Rubryka. Christian Wigand, a spokesperson for the European Commission, confirmed that the EU delegation is working in Kyiv without change. Mathernová emphasized that the Vienna Conventions govern the activities of diplomatic missions globally and warned that Russia should not test their strength.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Visit and Aid Package
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Kyiv on October 4 amid ongoing air-raid sirens, marking his support for the country despite Moscow’s recent warnings. During a joint press conference with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Merz pledged a support package valued at nearly $1.5 billion. This includes roughly €1 billion in military aid and an additional €350 million designated for generators, substations, and repair kits to reinforce the Ukrainian power grid ahead of winter.
We are making funds available for the joint production of anti-jet drone [interceptors]. In the last few weeks there have been significant technical breakthroughs on this.
Friedrich Merz, German Chancellor
Merz also visited the National Academy of Sciences, which was recently damaged in a drone strike. An attack on the Academy of Sciences in Kyiv, in the middle of the city, just a few hundred meters from the German embassy. And this morning, on a peaceful Sunday, an air-raid alarm in Kyiv,
Merz observed. These are daily war crimes being committed here.
The strike on the academy, which occurred on September 28, resulted in two deaths and seven injuries, an event President Zelenskyy characterized as a deliberate attack.
Escalation of Bridge and Energy Infrastructure Strikes
The conflict has entered a period of intense activity. According to President Zelenskyy, Russian forces utilized over 1,900 strike drones, 1,700 guided aerial bombs, and 25 missiles against Ukraine in the past week alone. Among the drones, over 800 were jet-powered, a technology that has allowed Russian forces to evade Ukrainian air defenses more effectively since the summer. Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that Russian strikes hit the North Bridge in Kyiv shortly after Merz’s arrival. This follows previous attacks on other bridges spanning the Dnipro River, which are vital for connecting the city’s eastern and western districts.
The Kremlin has characterized these strikes as a financial cost for Ukraine. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Ukraine must pay a price
for its actions in recent months, specifically citing Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow during Russia’s parliamentary elections, held from September 18 to 20, and a June strike on St. Petersburg. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that over 1,600 Ukrainian attack UAVs were sent toward civilian facilities in Moscow between September 19 and 20. Peskov acknowledged that Russia is intentionally punishing Ukraine rather than solely targeting military assets, an admission rarely made by Moscow.
President Zelenskyy noted that Ukrainian intelligence documents suggest Vladimir Putin has authorized a new doctrine
of military attacks aimed at a broader range of civilian targets, including roads, schools, and hospitals. In response, Kyiv plans to continue targeting Russian oil refineries. With their attacks on our energy, we have to respond on their energy. First of all, oil refiners: what gives money to them for this war,
Zelenskyy told Reuters, while emphasizing that Ukraine would not deliberately target civilian objects. Both nations have also increased attacks on grain vessels in the Black Sea, while Russian oil refineries continue to face Ukrainian shelling, and drone strikes continue to impact border regions in Russia.
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